Plastic food containers are subjected to abuse during storage, shipping, and handling. Such abuse can, for example, be applied by top loads and side loads. Top loads apply downward forces to a top portion of the container, while side loads apply inward forces to a side wall of the container. Such forces can damage the container and possibly damage its contents, thereby making the container and its contents unsuitable for presentation to consumers. Moreover, such forces can overcome any locking mechanism used to secure the container in a closed position, thereby causing the container to "pop" open and expose its contents. The exposed contents can become contaminated and therefore unsuitable for consumption.
To prevent the container from popping open in response to external forces, some existing containers employ a locking mechanism in the form of a button latch. With respect to a container including a lid and a base, a button latch generally includes a male button formed in an external flange of one of the lid and the base and a mating female recess formed in an external flange of the other of the lid and the base. To lock the container in a closed position, the male button is engaged within the female recess. The foregoing button latch is advantageous because it securely locks the container in the closed position. However, a drawback of existing button latches is that they are formed in the external flanges of the container. To accommodate the button latch, the portions of the external flanges forming the button latch must be wider than other flange portions. The wider external flange portions can lessen the aesthetic appeal of the container and increase the amount of valuable shelf space occupied by the container in a store.
Although manufacturers of plastic containers continually strive to improve the resistance of containers to top and side loads and to improve the locking mechanisms of containers, a need still exists for improvements in these areas.